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Show 172 HOEllUCK. CIIAPTEU XVI. CONSPIRACIES. 1\ FE\V c1nys nftcr C:tmpbcll cstabli hod hin:self nt t h 0 Swan t:tvern a rmnor bcgnn to be \vln pored thron rrh the nci rrh borhoo 1 tlwt the negroes \Vcre plot-tino · a~n insurrecb tion. It \va. vngne an d \V.l t1 1 0nt ~ kn~wn orjgin. It gnthcrcd circun1stances as it flew, and suspicion supplied the defects of testin1ony. Until then the slaves, \vhere the invasion h:td not pcn4 etratecl, ·were quiet, subn1is. ivc, anc1 renutrkably aUentive to their duties. Few attempted to escape, and none to rebel. The 'var, and the general arming of the don1inant race impressed them \vith a,-we. Bnt experience had not yet proved what effect upon their inflnmn1nble pa. sions n1ight be produced by tho progress of a ya t con:flirt., \vagccl, as they nnc1cn:;toor1, by tho North for their dcliverauuo. \V11ilc it was lwlreve l that •~rvilc insurrection 'vas one of the agencies by '\·hich the North expected to subjugate the South, a rumor of comn1otion mnong the s1aves might readily cause anxiety. It \Vas soon reported that there had been n1iclnight meetings of ncrrroes-that there haJ been secret intercourse between Cnmpbcll, Palmer un<l blind Pete-that Pete 'vas n1orc nctive than ever in hi. ulanJc. tine dea1ing.· with s1a,~e.· by night. Suspicion i~U upon Cnmpbell be ·ause he ·was a "Yankee;" it was pr01notcd by a circnn1 tnntial story of his disIHi.-.. al front l~oebnuk because he ha<l tampered with scrvan i::; ; it 'vas conflnncd by exaggerated accounts llOEBUCK. told by son1e of tho negroes of his conversations ·wiLh thCJn. Pahncr's nativity, r c. crvccl habits a.ncl cqui vocal eondnct hacl lo t hi1u tho conficlence of hi.• neighbors, and his position \vas fnrthee cornpromi .. e<l by a report that his son hacl cle crtccl anJ gone over to the enemy, These various run1ors and suspicions produced uneasiness, which rapidly s'vclled into popular agitation. In fact, the ingenuity of l\fr. Palmer ·was constantly exerciRed by his plans for n1n.king the war subservient to his interest and revenge, and by the cnlbarrassmcnts ·which mnst besot a secret adherent of the North, 'vho, in a Southern con11nunity, ostensibly thongh f:tintly supported the onthern can c. vVh cn blind Pete vi itecl him, as "·ell in pursuance of his own invitntion as of the stipulution exacted by Baxter at a rope's cncl, a nao-otin.tion took place jn which the trained intellio·ence of the rctirec11ncrchn.nt ontwittccl b the purblind cunning of the vulgar knave. Pete was led to reveal, not only the 'vhole tran ·action of tho sugar-tongs, but the apprehension 'vhich he felt that the Northern str:-tnger \vould be less in iulgent than the good-natured Southerners, ·who so often winked at his pilfering in con1pas ·ion for his blinclness. By playing upon this fear an<.l by a liberal bribe, Pa1mer enlisted Pete in his secret service. lie thus establi hed an espionage upon the £lmilics of his neighbors a.ncl an ngcncy 'vhich n1i rrht be turne<.l to account in the pro- ~ . secution of schemes yet unhatched. Through tJns channel he \Vas infonnctl of C:unpbcll's position at Roebuck and wns onablcc1 to esti1uate his ch:trac1,cr. I:Ie wi heel to open co1nn1nnicn.tion with him, bnt 'vas too cautious to atten1pt it until the guest bacl rcmove<l from Roebuck to the t:tvcrn. Soon after that event |